Improvement in illumination



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE HAND SMITH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SILAS O.

SMITH, `OE SAME PLACE..

iMPR-ovEMI-:NT IN ILLu-lvnNATioh-i.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,689, datedOctobcr 14, 186,.

To all whom it may concern,.- s

Beit known that I, GEORGE HAND SMITH, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method of Producing Light for the Various Purposes of Artificial Illumination;

and I dohereby declare that the following is a full andv exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

It is well known that a powerful light can be produced by directing jets of certain gases when in a state of combustion upon lime, magnesia, platina, and certain other substances. Theincandescence of thesesubstances in such eases is principally due to the high heat produced by the burning gases, and an intense light is the result.

A combined jet of oxygen and hydrogen gases, so arranged that they are brought in contact at thevery moment of combustion, is the most effectual way of producing the heat necessary for the purpose above mentioned;

but these two gases are somewhat expensive, and are procured with too much difcultyto become generally" used for the purpose above mentioned.

Common illuminating-gas has been used instead of pure hydrogen for the production of `oxygen being in the center. Ahigh degree of incandescence is thus produced, and a proportionate amount of light, all of which is due to the degree of heat thus generated. Still the necessity exists of obtaining a supply -of pure oxygen. An abundant supply of that gas exists in the atmosphere, but it is there mingled with about three times its weight of. nitrogenw-a gas which affords no aid to combustion. Hence it will require four times as `much air as of illuminating-gas in order to from being heated sufiicientl y to produce any very intense degree of light.

My invention consists iu a contrivanee for overcoming this difiiculty to such an extent that a jet of common air mingled with, or, as I prefer, placed concentrically within, a jet of illuminating-gas and forced upon a piece of lime at the moment of combustion .will produce .nearly the same result as though pure oxygen and hydrogen gases had been used for that purpose, and thus an'intense degree of light can be produced from materials of the most common, cheap, and convenient character. Toleffect this purpose, I heat the common air'by artificial means before it is used in the combustion of the illuminating-gas to such a degree as to compensate sufficiently for the loss of heat occasioned by the presence of the nitrogen. I find also that by thus preheating the common air the combustion. of the i1luminating-gas is much more rapid and com- F (in dotted lines) is the jet of common air,`

which is discharged directly into the center of the burning jet of illuminatinggas F, (in dotted lines,) where its oxygen enters into combustion with the illuminating-gas, forming one jet of flame that impinges upon the piece of lime L, causing incandeseence and producing the light desired.

B is a gas-burner, of wire-gauze, supplied from the gas-pipe X at G, being regulated by the cock C. The llame of this burner heats the current of air passing through A before it passes to the jet I. The pipe A may be enlarged over the burner B, or divided into many tubes, or made into a coil for t-he purpose of more completely heating the air before it is forced into the flame. Two or more of these jets may be concentrated upon one piece of lime, according to the amount of light required. For most purposes four jets are preferred, standing ninety degrees apart from each other.

The heated air and gas might mix before reaching the jets; but I prefer the arrangea ment described in the drawings. There are also many other forms and methods in which the apparatus for heating common air can be arranged.

For greater economy, the waste heat from the combustion of the jets may be used, and contrivances for that purpose may readily be devised.

The arrangement of lhe burners and of the Whole apparatus may be greatly changed Without producing any change in the principle employed. I do not thereforeintend to limit myselfto any special contrivance or form of apparatus.

Other substances can be used as a combustible instead of illuminating-gas or hydrogen, such as olnefiant gas or the hydrocarbons in vapor or in a liquid state, or any equivalent of these substances.

It may be observed that a moderate degree `of heat applied tothe common air will produce a sensible increase in thelight produced, and that thegreater the amount of heat applied to the air before combustion the more perfect Will be that combustion, and especially will the heat and consequently the light produced be the greater.

The same contrivance for heating the common air to be used in connection with common illuminating-gas in a compound blow-pipe will be found equally efficient as that above proposed for the generation of'light, and upon precisely the same principle.

I have also ascertained that the light from oil or spirit lamps may be greatly increased by bringing a current of heated atmospheric air in contact with the flame, and for similar reasons to those above given.

Having thus fully described my invention and its mode of operation, it only remains to state that what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The use'of common atmospheric air in the place of oxygen gas in the combustion of illuminating-gas or its equivalent, for the production of a lhigh degree of heat, when such atmospheric air` has been previously heated and in that condition is forced by means of properly-arranged jets into intimatecontact with the illuminating-gas at the moment of combustion, substantially in the manner hereinabove set forth.A

2. The use of common atmospheric air in the place of oxygen gas in the combustion of illuminating-gas or its equivalent for the production of an intense degree of light, when such atmospheric air has been previously heated, and in that condition is forced by properly-arranged jets into intimate contact with the illuminating-gas at or before the moment of combustion, both being at the same` time made to impinge upon a suitable piece of lime or other known equivalent, substantially in the manner above described.

3. The use of common atmospheric air in the combustion of illuminating substancessuch as illuminating-gas, oils, or hydrocar bons, or their equivalentsfor the production of an increased degree of light, when such atmospheric air has been previouslyheated, and in that condition is brought in intimate contact with any of said illuminating substances at or before the moment of combustion.

GEORGE HAND SMITH.

Vitnesses:

SAMUEL GoLDsMITH, WILLIAM GoLDsMrrH. 

